Dude, you just lost all credibility with this one. I just watched it again, in case I made a mistake, and I paused the video at the right time. The kid is going down and elbows are still tucked in. Watch it again, and warm up your fork, because it's time to eat crow.

Wow Four, I am surprised you can even tell where his elbow is in that still.

Of course I watched the video. It was a blatant head shot. It's a problem in pro hockey. You can ticky-tack it all you want, doesn't change the fact that the kid was knocked unconcious from a blow to the head. But don't let me stop you... continue arguing the validity of the hit.

He didn't hit him between the numbers or anything. I dunno. The only reason I don't like this hit is because it's on a 16 year old. He charged him, but if it was in the NHL, I probably wouldn't be fussed about it.

Dude, you just lost all credibility with this one. I just watched it again, in case I made a mistake, and I paused the video at the right time. The kid is going down and elbows are still tucked in. Watch it again, and warm up your fork, because it's time to eat crow.

Again, I hope the kid is okay.

Eat crow? It was a dirty hit in my eyes, I don't care what you believe it was.

As Broken mentioned above, it's clearly a head shot when the guy gets his skull fractured.

Of course I watched the video. It was a blatant head shot. It's a problem in pro hockey. You can ticky-tack it all you want, doesn't change the fact that the kid was knocked unconcious from a blow to the head. But don't let me stop you... continue arguing the validity of the hit.

Blatant head shot? His shoulder is making contact with the BOTTOM of the other player's head.

The victim put himself in that position at the last second. It is a really unfortunate circumstance, but one he could have avoided if he didn't turn away from a guy he knew was coming.

The 16-year-old was the victim of a vicious hit in the Friday, October 30, 2009 game versus the Erie Otters.Fanelli remains in intensive care at Hamilton General Hospital, where he had to be airlifted last night. His condition is considered critical but stable and the Rangers are asking that the Fanelli family's privacy be respected. Ben was hammered into the end boards in the second period of Friday's game, losing his helmet and going face first into the glass. A statement by the team says Fanelli suffered a laceration above his eye which resulted in blood loss. That statement also says Fanelli has skull fractures, which would have been the result of falling backwards, helmet-less, onto the ice. Michael Liambis, the Otters player who hit Fanelli was ejected from the game with a match penalty for boarding. The league is reviewing the incident, but there is no word yet on any disciplinary action.

It's arguable whether or not it was his elbow or his shoulder, as the frames go by way too fast for me to be able to tell which, but nonetheless, it was 100% assuredly a high hit. I don't know what the hell Fanelli was doing turning his back like that, but regardless of whether his back was turned or he was facing Liambas, that was still not even remotely close to a body check. He was aiming high the whole way.

Eat crow? It was a dirty hit in my eyes, I don't care what you believe it was.

As Broken mentioned above, it's clearly a head shot when the guy gets his skull fractured.

Your eyes are dirty not the hit. You are looking at the outcome of the collision and jumping to conclusions. The kid put himself in that situation. He saw the hit coming, turned his back at the last second, and got laid out. Very unfortunate ending to a hit does not mean the hit was dirty. He tried to protect the puck and keep possession, so he's got a good head on his shoulders (no sick joke intended), but he turned his back on a hit that he knew was coming.

It's arguable whether or not it was his elbow or his shoulder, as the frames go by way too fast for me to be able to tell which, but nonetheless, it was 100% assuredly a high hit. I don't know what the hell Fanelli was doing turning his back like that, but regardless of whether his back was turned or he was facing Liambas, that was still not even remotely close to a body check. He was aiming high the whole way.

He's a 16 year old kid. He'll learn not to do that again, that's for sure.

Secondly people get hit in the head at times when making body checks. I have had stitches done to my chin after a guy who had at least six inches on me rocked me. The play was perfectly legal because it was a good shoulder hit. He was just taller and his shoulder sits a bit higher up than mine does. I mean for crying out loud Konstantinov's famous hit back in game 3 of the 97 playoffs could have been considered a head shot based on what people talk about today.

He wasn't aiming, he just got him in the back at the last second which wouldn't have happened if the player didn't try and turn away from the hit. An unfortunate event to a clean body check.

And for the record I want to say the padding on player's shoulders and elbows these days is way too hard. They need to soften it up because that has to be a factor in the amount of force players exert on one another.

Your eyes are dirty not the hit. You are looking at the outcome of the collision and jumping to conclusions. The kid put himself in that situation. He saw the hit coming, turned his back at the last second, and got laid out. Very unfortunate ending to a hit does not mean the hit was dirty. He tried to protect the puck and keep possession, so he's got a good head on his shoulders (no sick joke intended), but he turned his back on a hit that he knew was coming.

My eyes are dirty? ...Who the f*** are you?!Did the kid put himself in a bad position? Yes of course he did.Did the guy hitting him charge? Yes, I believe he did.Did the guy hitting him, hit too high? Yes, I believe he did.Did the guy hitting him try to slow down? No.Did the guy hitting him show any remorse? Hell no, he pushes another guy other right after the hit.Did an overage OHL player hit a 16 year old rookie with intention to hurt? I believe so.

It's people like you why I hate trying to debate on here. You are rude and cannot let people debate different sides, you have to resort to pointing fingers and accusing people of being wrong.

And for the record I want to say the padding on player's shoulders and elbows these days is way too hard. They need to soften it up because that has to be a factor in the amount of force players exert on one another.

Secondly people get hit in the head at times when making body checks. I have had stitches done to my chin after a guy who had at least six inches on me rocked me. The play was perfectly legal because it was a good shoulder hit. He was just taller and his shoulder sits a bit higher up than mine does. I mean for crying out loud Konstantinov's famous hit back in game 3 of the 97 playoffs could have been considered a head shot based on what people talk about today.

He wasn't aiming, he just got him in the back at the last second which wouldn't have happened if the player didn't try and turn away from the hit. An unfortunate event to a clean body check.

And for the record I want to say the padding on player's shoulders and elbows these days is way too hard. They need to soften it up because that has to be a factor in the amount of force players exert on one another.

I don't need the evolution of a body check explained to me. I played enough and seen enough to know when a player is leading high to make a hit. It isn't rocket science.

Comparing a boarding/elbow/high hit/pick your poison hit along the boards to an open ice hit in the neutral zone just doesn't work either. Sorry.

I never said the hit was illegal. Just dirty with an intent to injure.